| When a beloved pet dies the emotions that come | | | | shared and easier to overcome if others show |
| out can be overwhelming; grief, loss, emptiness, | | | | sympathy and understanding. |
| guilt (if you have made the choice of euthanasia) | | | | - The loss of a pet is not as important as the loss |
| and depression are just some that can arise. For | | | | of a human. Not true. I have a wonderful family |
| non pet lovers it is hard to comprehend why we | | | | but the loss of one of my cats still hits me hard. |
| should feel so much for 'just an animal' and many | | | | They are also my family, and for many are the |
| cannot understand why there are the same, and | | | | same as babies. |
| sometimes stronger, emotions arising as when a | | | | - If you euthanise your pet you are selfish. By |
| relative dies. The truth is that these animals are | | | | letting you pet die with dignity and releasing them |
| family to us, often as beloved as children, and | | | | from pain is a gift that we can give a loved one. |
| that the grief we feel when our 'babies' pass on | | | | If you want to prolong your animal to a few |
| can be as real to us as that of a family member. | | | | more months of pain, that would be selfish. |
| I suffered from all the emotions recently when I | | | | - Pets don't mourn the loss of other pets. Tell |
| awoke to find one of my cats had died in her | | | | that to my other cat! He is still looking for his |
| sleep. Guilt - had she been ill and I hadn't noticed, | | | | companion, as he has when one has gone before. |
| loss - she had been my companion for over | | | | - The best way to deal with grief is to keep busy. |
| fourteen years and helped me through much, | | | | Grief does not go away if you push it to one side. |
| emptiness - her loss has left a big hole in my life, | | | | It will return, with greater force. |
| and grief for her passing. Yet my initial reaction | | | | - Getting another pet as soon as possible will stop |
| was to hide my feelings, firstly from my two | | | | you feeling grief. Not so. Another animal cannot |
| young children who wouldn't understand, and | | | | replace the one that has died and if you rush into |
| secondly because of others vision of 'it's just a | | | | getting another before you have had time to say |
| cat'. And then I realised that, whilst not breaking | | | | goodbye to the first you may not be emotionally |
| down in front of my children was sensible, | | | | ready to accept it. |
| denying myself a grieving process because of | | | | Suffering loss is painful, no matter who you have |
| what others think is just plain stupid. Restricting | | | | lost. Grief is part of the healing process, but often |
| your emotions is damaging to your well being - | | | | you will need help to come to terms with your |
| grieving is natural and healthy and should be | | | | pain and loss. Seeking help does not mean that |
| accepted no matter who we are grieving over. | | | | you are weak, it shows that you are strong |
| Here are a few more myths to dispel: | | | | enough to accept that you can feel the loss of |
| - It is best to grieve alone. Actually grief is best | | | | another, and are strong enough ask for help. |